Ad Hoc Network – What does ad hoc stand for?

What is an Ad Hoc Network? Find out definition and meaning of ad hoc and what does ad hoc stand for or full form. An ad hoc stands for wireless ad-hoc network (WANET), it is a type of wireless network that is decentralized. It is called ad hoc because there is no pre-existing infrastructure such as access points or routers that are being used. In its place, the node forwards data to other nodes based on the connectivity of the network. The ad hoc network can use standard routing or the technique of flooding when it comes to forwarding their data.

The good news about wireless ad hoc networks is that they are free of any infrastructure, administration, or set-up that enables them to enable devices, create, and join new networks on the spot whenever they are activated. This is because they configure themselves into what works and they are free to move around.

The earliest examples of the ad hoc networks started in the early 1970s with packet radios. The technology of these early systems evolved as the technology grew to later include the internet. Alongside the advances of the ad hoc networks were ham radio communities that were offering a similar system. Interestingly enough, the early packet radios were the inspiration for the Internet Protocol (IP) suite despite being well over a decade ahead of internet development.

By the 1980s, the development of the Survivable Radio Network (SURAN) took over from the packet radios and was the standard until the mid-1990s. At this point, inexpensive 802.11 radio cards created for personal computers led to the development of the wireless ad hoc network as we know them today.